For years experts have been talking about the “gray tsunami” that threatened the workers’ compensation industry. The crushing wave said to be coming was not one of earth temblors and overwhelming waves, but rather a current of retirement from an aging and long-entrenched workforce. And in the aftermath of Covid and the “great resignation” now…
Montana, Kentucky and the Future of Vaccine Mandates
Kentucky attorneys H. Douglas Jones and Margo J. Menefee reported on this site Wednesday that their state has introduced legislation that would prevent discrimination based on immunization status. Specifically, they conveyed that: Bill Request 358 would ban employers from altering any conditions of a worker’s employment due to that worker declining immunization or refusing to…
A Stripper and Her Emotional Support Monkey
It has been quite some time since we took on the topic of strippers in the workplace. It has been even longer since we discussed a stripper with an emotional support monkey. Come to think of it, we’ve never discussed a stripper with an emotional support monkey, but since one has wound her way into…
A New Knee Gives Me Plethy to Write About
My second knee replacement of the year isn’t just an opportunity to improve my physical health. It turns out it has been an occasion to try a new product that has the potential to vastly improve outcomes for those who are undergoing physical therapy. And my early impressions are positive. I was approached by an…
The Upcoming NWCDN Annual (Virtual) Conference
The annual conference put on by the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network (NWCDN) is scheduled for November 10, 2021. It is a virtual event, running from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Central. As with prior NWCDN events, both in-person and virtual, it is free of charge. And as I’ve written previously, it is an excellent…
The Elephant in the Room: Does Domestic Abuse Affect Workers' Comp?
Editor’s Note: A Hot Seat Webinar on this topic, Spotting The Abusive Elephant in the Room: The Impact of Domestic Violence on Workers’ Comp Cases, will be on Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 1 PM eastern. Registration is free and may be accessed here. The tragic case of Gabby Petito that gripped the nation last month brought…
Workers' Comp and the Supply Chain Crisis
There has been a tremendous focus in recent weeks on the fragilities of our nation’s supply chain. Some everyday products are in frighteningly short supply, hundreds of container ships are waiting weeks to be unloaded, and ominous warnings are being issued that Christmas may not be coming this year. It should be noted that those…
On Missing Las Vegas For My Covid Knee
Employers and workers’ comp professionals from all across the nation are heading to Las Vegas today, to attend the 2021 National Workers’ Compensation and Disability Conference. The conference, live once again after last year’s Covid dominated virtual event, is one of the major national workers’ compensation experiences that bring people together to conduct business, connect…
Legislation May Bring Federal Monitoring of State Workers' Comp Systems
Doug Holmes of Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers’ Compensation (UWC) advised his group’s membership last week of a legislative effort that would facilitate the monitoring of state workers’ compensation systems by the federal government. Holmes reported that legislation developed by the House Education and Labor Committee included language providing statutory authority for the Office…
Finally, a Smokin' Cannabis in the Workplace Study
An article featured two days ago on this site reported results of a survey conducted by the National Safety Council, conducted “as part of an ongoing effort to assess the risks of cannabis in the workplace.” According to the report, the results, unlike the thought processes of employees smoking pot, are clear. The NSC concluded that “employers must…